Definition of Pick disease

Pick disease: A form of dementia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of social skills and changes in personality leading to impairment of intellect, memory, and language.

The common core of symptoms includes loss of memory, lack of spontaneity, difficulty in thinking or concentrating, and disturbances of speech. Other symptoms include gradual emotional dullness, loss of moral judgment, and progressive dementia. The age of onset may range from 20 to 80 but is often between 40 and 60.

Pick disease is of unknown origin. The course ranges in duration from less than 2 years to more than 10 years. Death is usually caused by infection.